The Boston Herald reports that Tyler told Hollywood paparazzi, “I hate this disease – alcohol and drug addiction. I can’t speak knowledgeably that she passed from that, but I know she’s had problems with her demons as I’ve had with myself, and she lost.”

Although still being careful not to presume a cause of death for the pop star, Tyler drove his larger point home quite clearly: “This disease takes so many of us down. It’s a terrible thing.”

A private funeral has been scheduled for Saturday in New Jersey where family and friends will gather to celebrate Houston’s life. There were plans for a larger public memorial that appear to have been called off by the family.